Elastic fabric and process of making same



March 12, 1946. s w, ALDERFER 2,396,482

ELASTIC FABRIC AND PROCESS OF MAKING SAME Filed May 8. 1944 INVENTOR STEQLING w ALDERFER ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 12, 1946 Sterling w. Alderfer, Akron, omo, assignor or one-half to Edward D. Andrews, Akron, Ohio Application May 8, 194$, Serial No. 534,631

14 Claims.

The present invention relates to a new-and improved elastic fabric in which threads or strands of rubber or similar elastic material are combined with cotton, rayon, or other textile material. In the usual type of elastic fabric a plurality of rubber threads, each covered by a winding or plurality of windings of the textile material, are woven or knitted into a fabric. These methods require at least two operations,

one the covering of the base rubber thread and The invention has a further object and advantage, as suggested above, in that the pick thread or threads which hold the several elastic cables or warp elements together pass directly through direction from a point at which it may be broken.

As in all elastic fabrics the rubber center or core is under .tension. Any break in the. core will cause it to retract toward either end of the fabric and the elasticity of the fabric or webbing is thereby impaired. A fabric constructed in accordance with this invention will not tend to lose its elasticity so readily when a core breaks.

In the drawing the method of making the new elastic fabric is shown with sufiicient detail to enable those familiar with the art to practice the invention, but it will be understoodthat theshowing made here is merely illustrative of the method and that variations and modifications may be made in specific embodiments without in any way altering the basic principlesoL the invention.

In the drawing:

Figs. 1 and 2 are, respectively, a side elevation. 55

and a plan view of the basic elements required for making an elastic fabric by the method of the present invention. In these views six cables are shown as constituting the finished fabric or tape, 5 but it will be understood that the number of cables may be increased or diminished as maybe desired: In these views also the cable-twists are arranged so that-the cables are grouped three and three, 1. e. with three right hand and' three left hand twists. It is desirable to balance, the twists more or less equally in the severalscables which constitute the fabric and the method illustrated is one means of securing this result. The direction of twisting also determines the pat- 16 tern of the finished fabric.

accordance with the invention, this view showing a seven-warp fabric or tape in which the twists in the cables are alternated; 20

' in accordance with the invention.

has been disclosed it is possible to devise many variations and patterns which it would be impractical to detail completely, and the illustra tions given in the drawing are merely explanatory of the invention and not to be construed as confining the invention to those forms.

BasicalLv, the method. v

plurality of closely arranged parallel disks, or cards" as they are sometimes called, which are provided with a plurality of holes through which the elasticthread and the desired number-of covering threads are passed. The holes are arranged nearthe periphery of each disk and as the disks are rotated the several elements which pass through each disk are twisted together to form. a cable. The rotation of the disks forms a series of successive sheds :between each turn of the several cables and through the shedsa pick thread is passed by any suitable shuttle or pick laying device (not shown) so that in the completed fabric the pick thread passes through the several cables and is firmly gripped by the elastic core and the outer wrapping layers. In making a fabric by the present method the clastic threads are maintained under a considerable tension with the result that the outer textile elements are wrapped around the elastic thread so that it forms a central core. The direction in which the covering threads .are twisted depends on the'direction of rotation of the disks or the n..2nner in which the covering elements or strands are threaded through the disks. Thus, as shown Fig. 3 is a plan view .of another fabric made in v Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig.3; and

Fig. 5 is a side or edge view of a fabric made I It will be appreciated that when the invention consists'in providing a lower pinions I and 4, one of which is driven.

These pinions are usually elongated so that any number of disks may be mounted therebetween and around the pinions are located loose collars which fit between the disks and maintain them in their proper spaced relation. Set collars 6 hold the disk assembly together.

In the drawing the disks are shown with four holes that each completed cable is composed of four strands, but this number is optional and may vary from two to any practical number. The holes are designated as 2a to id to receive the respective strands a, b, c, and d, of which the first three are the textile or covering strands and d the rubber or elastic strand which forms the elastic core..

0n the left or far side of the disks the several strands converge to the twisting point z, where they are twisted together to form the cable, but as noted above, due to the tension exerted on the elastic strand d, it will not partake of the twist, all of which will be imparted to the covering strands which wrap about it.

At or near the twisting point a pick or weft thread 2 is passed through the shedas it is formed, the shuttle preferably making a pass through each successive shed to lay the thread between the strands. This means that the pick thread is passed directly through the center of the several cables. It is not necessary that a pick pass through each shed as it is formed and it will also be understood that a double pick thread may be employed.

It is desirable to passa beater (not shown) I through each successive shed so as to line up the twists across the fabric. A beater of any design may be employed, but for the best results it rangement will give a regular ribbed effect to the finished product.

In Fig. 3 a piece of the completed webbing is shown in its normal or relaxed condition, this. view showing a seven cable weave with the twist alternated.

The edge view in Fig. 5 shows the manner'in which the pick thread lies at the selvage, where it passes around the alternate turns of -the outside cable.

In a fabric made in exact accordance with the drawing, each elastic core has a ,single covering layer. If it is desired to have two layers of covering material, the elastic-core may be provided with a preliminary wrapp before it is threaded into the disks and this modification will not depart from the basic principles of the invention. In such case the pick thread will pass between the two covers. It is also possible, without departing from the invention, to incorporate the several cables as spaced'warp threads in a woven fabric, the @ody of which is woven in any desired manner.

The rotation of the disks or cards will create atwis't in each cable on both sides of the disks. In a loom fcr'the manufacture of these fabrics provision may'be made to oifset or remove the twist in the incoming threads or the disks may be reversed in direction periodically, which wm cor? rect the'twisting at the feed side.

The above are examples merely of the manner in which the invention may be put into commercial practice, those versed in the art being able to create a wide variety of fabrics while employing the basic principles of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In the art of making an elastic fabric, the steps of. twisting together a plurality of warp threads to form a cable, one of said warp threads being of elastic material, maintaining the elastic warp thread under tension during the twisting should be brought through the shed against the convolutions directly. This is preferable to using gathering guide 8 and thence to any suitable: drawing and wind-up mechanism. In making an elastic fabricit is desirable to advance the fabric at a somewhat accelerated speed with respect to the speed of rotation of the disks which causes the covering elements to form rather long spirals as indicated at the left of Fig. 1. This is to provide for theretraction of the elastic core when the fabric is released. when the tension is released the several turns or convolutions of the covering move together, as shown, for example, in Fig. 3.

If the'several holes 2d are in register across the disks, any individual lay of pick across the fabric will always lie on one side or the other of the elastic cores. In Fig. 1 the core d is shown at the lower portion of its are of travel and therefore at this point all of.the elements d will be under the pick thread e. At a later point, when the element d is on theupper side of its travel, the elastic cores will lie above the pickthread. It is not essential that all of the rubber threads be located operation, and passing a pick thread through the cable in advance of the twisting point.

2. In the art of making an elastic fabric, the steps of-passing' an elastic thread and at least one thread of covering material through holes in a rotary disk, maintaining the elastic thread under tension, rotating the disk to twist the 'threads together to form a cable in which the elastic thread constitutes a central core, said operation forming successive sheds between the threads, and passing a pick thread through successive sheds.

l 3. In the art of making an elastic fabric, the steps of passing an elastic thread and a plurality of threads of a covering material through holes in a rotary disk, maintaining the elastic thread under tension, rotating the disk to wrap the covering threads around the elastic thread to form a cable in which the elastic thread constitutes a central core, the rotation of the disk forming successive sheds between the threads and passing a pick thread through successive sheds.

4. In the art of making an elastic fabric, the

steps of passing'an elastic. thread and at least one thread of a covering material through holes in a rotary disk, maintaining the elastic thread .under tension, rotating the disk to wrap the covering thread about the elastic thread to form 10 a cable in which the elastic thread constitutes a central core,'the rotation of the disk creating successive sheds between the threads, passing a pick thread through successive sheds, the rotation of the disk being so related to the progression of at one side of a single. pick,'but such an ar--1l the threads as to form spaced spirals in the covering thread, which will close together when the tension on the elastic thread is released.

5. In the art of making an elastic fabric, the steps of forming a plurality of parallel cables from groups of warp threads by twisting the several groups of threads together, each group of hreads containing an elastic thread whicliis maintained under tension during the twisting operations so that the other threads wrap about the elastic thread, and passing a pick thread through the several cables in advance of the twisting point.

6. In the art of making an elastic fabric, the steps of assembling groups of parallel threads, one thread of each group being an elastic thread which is maintained under tension during the entire operation, passing the threads of each group through holes in a rotary disk, rotating the disk whereby the elastic thread is covered by the other parallel threads, the rotation of the disk forming successive sheds between the threads, and passing a pick thread through successive sheds.

7. A process in accordance with claim 3 in which a plurality of parallel cables are formed by the method set forth and in which the pick thread is passed through all of the cables.

8. A process in accordance with claim 4 in which a plurality of parallel cables are formed by the method set forth and in which the pick thread is passed through all of the cables.

9. An elastic fabric comprising a plurality of parallel cables, each cable consisting of. an elastic core and at least one thread of a covering material spirally wrapped about the core, and a pick thread passing through. the several cables between the elastic cores and the spiral wrappings.

19. An elastic fabric comprising a plurality of parallel cables, each cable consisting of an elastic thread a l a plurality of non-elastic threads spirally a apped about the elastic thread, and

a pick thread passing transversely through the several cables and between the elastic threads the nomelastic thr ads.

11. An elastic fabric comprising a plurality of parallel cables, each cable consisting of an elastic core and at least one thread of a covering material spirally wrapped about the core, the direction of twist of the covering material in some of the cables being opposite from the direction of twist in the other cables, and a pick thread passing through the several cables between the elastic cores and the spiral wrappings.

12. An elastic fabric comprising a plurality of parallel cables, each cable consisting of an elastic thread and a plurality of non-elastic threads spirallywrapped about the elastic thread, the direction of twist in the non-elastic threads in some of the cables being opposite from the direction of twist in the other cables, and a pick thread passin transversely through the several cables and between the elastic threads and the nonelastic threads.

13. An elastic fabric comprising a plurality of cables, each cable consisting of an elastic core under tension and at least one strand of a covering material spirally wrapped about the core, the spiral turns of the strand being drawn together about the core by the tension of the core, the special turns of said strand in some of the cables being opposite to the spiral turns in the other cables, and a pick thread passing through the several cables and between the elastic cores and the spiral strands.

14. An elastic fabric comprising a plurality of cables, each cable consisting of an elastic core under tension and covering over the core composed of a plurality'of non-elastic threads spirally wrapped about the core, the spirals of the-covering being drawn together and about the core by the tension of the core, the spiral twists in some of the cables being reversed with respect to the spiral twists in the other cables, and a pick thread passing through the several cables and between the elastic cores and the non-elastic threads.

STERLING W. AIDERFER. 

